It arrived this afternoon. First impressions are that there's a lot of plastic and an awful lot of nice options which means that, like my 3 Racing F109 project a few years ago, this cheap package could end up not a budget project at all! However, my intentions are good and I'll only upgrade if I think it's needed rather than just looking pretty.

It's also just a fun project at the moment. If there's enough interest I'll add a 2WD class to the D1RC rounds but only if it's wanted by the drivers. We will be doing some 2WD stuff at Drift Essex too, that's for sure!

One of my first thoughts as I read though the general specification was that the CS ratio was a bit extreme at 2.14 and then I read through the option parts and there were no option pulleys shown. Okay, it would be easy to convert another make's to fit but..... It took me a full minute or so to see my dumb mistake!!!

YOU DON'T DO C.S. RATIOS WITH 2WD

It's been a long day so I'll quit while I'm behind and make up ground tomorrow when the build will start. Question is, shall I build it stock and then start the mods or modify as I build? I suspect that it'll be a bit of both but just from the manual's illustrations I can see a few mods worth doing. Where are you my Dremel......

AndyB

Jun 11 2013, 04:35 PM

I intend on buying as little as possible for mine, the only thing I'm going to invest in is tyres, and quite possible some blocks of alloy to fabricate parts from

JT

Jun 12 2013, 03:25 PM

Build well under way now with drive train and rear hubs in place, just starting on the front suspension. Initial reaction is a pleasant one with the plastic parts all being moulded graphite! Regarding design, the front diff retaining assembly is a joke to fit and maintain but luckily there's no front diff to maintain in a 2WD! Also the pulley fixing method of a spring steel pin rather than grub screws on flats is cheap and nasty but I think I'll be replacing the lay shafts anyway for something stronger. Generally fit has been good though. I'll probably complete as per the book before I start on the mods.

Reality check - this costs around £72 delivered. Incredible

AndyB

Jun 12 2013, 04:12 PM

What an entry level chassis for someone wanting CS hey, that being said the centre belt tension is a joke lol

danb1974

Jun 12 2013, 05:12 PM

You get what you pay for. There is an 130-page thread about the d3 cs here, if I may post a link to another forum. Seems with a little effort it can be turned into a decent but still cheap cs chassis.

I think there is a belt tensioner available as upgrade part, but the simplest way to deal with it implies a pair of spacers

JT

Jun 12 2013, 06:01 PM

And some of those pages are actually on topic! Still reading.......

(1hr edit) finished! Last 5 pages were the most useful. Page 113was useful too - way to make it handle is to use a Yokomo body shell?

I feel a JT twin top link is called for.

AndyB

Jun 12 2013, 06:05 PM

Yeah that's what I have done, re adjust the diff and spaced up the layshaft and holder. It's definitely worth the money, much better than R2 hobbies cloned shit!

JT

Jun 13 2013, 02:18 PM

Budget..... bollox!!! I've just purchased a new Savox 1251 @ £39 and a Spektrum SR3000HRS receiver for £70 (from the States as Horizon don't stock them now) so a possibility of tax too. Up until then all the mods have been made from the spares/bits boxes. I've fitted a 10.5t Novak Ballistic and will run it with a Nosram Matrix Evo Rev. without boost, should be ample for developing on carpet.

It now has the infinitely adjustable JT trademark front end with floppy in the post! Given I wasn't planning to have any front suspension I'll need to fit this without springs!?! I've set the camber at 6 and the caster at 15 to start with (stock caster is 10). Like Andy, I looked for more lock and found it by drilling new steering post holes in the steering horn nearer the hub and it worked, nearly 90o on both locks but when centred the toe in was too excessive and when you wind in the steering you lose the lock! Maybe a different steering geometry system is required.

Found a couple of slightly larger MST pulleys so may be able to add tension to the long belt without adding a home made tensioner, whatever! The rear layshaft and mount is real cr*p though and needs a complete redesign (there's no need for it to be mounted so high on a flimsy pair of brackets) - can't be asked to get the alloy upgrade

AndyB

Jun 13 2013, 02:43 PM

They do an alloy mount, with added tensioner but I just used shims to lift up the shaft

JT

Jun 13 2013, 03:25 PM

Yes, I've seen that but it's money and the challenge was to do this chassis ('lectrics don't count!) on a tight budget! Lilly has also been over the chassis with a fine tooth comb but has decided the obvious solution is to lay all over it and fur it up a bit!! That should take up some of the slack on the lay shafts. The rear pulley shaft is about 4mm x 36mm and I was wondering who else uses a shaft like that?

AndyB

Jun 13 2013, 05:36 PM

Check the R31 chassis fitment, but honestly just space it up a bit, takes out all the slack an also eliminates the ridiculously placed rear belt tensioner that you simply can't adjust when fitted

RichardoDiaz

Jun 14 2013, 08:50 AM

Interesting!

A RWD class would be really cool for the Winter Series :) I think i'll just be watching the RWDs this year but if it takes off i'll probably be purchasing a FR-D next year haha!

When is the MST RWD chassis due out?

AndyB

Jun 14 2013, 10:20 AM

No none knows as yet rich, if I like this RWD ill buy and FRD and ill sell you back the D3

Rixy

Jun 14 2013, 11:48 AM

are you running gyros on these RWD's?

AndyB

Jun 14 2013, 11:56 AM

I won't be, I'm going purist :)

JT

Jun 14 2013, 02:31 PM

Same here.

I've sorted out all the belt slack by adjusting the rear diff eccentric bearing holder, loads of adjustment and works perfectly (as designed!) but 'spacing' won't ajust the middle belt so added a tensioner, just the usual servo post with a few bearings hung off it - perfect! I've ordered a pack of 4mm shims to remove the play from the two lay shafts as any movement could lead to failed belts.

Well, here it is....floppy. Ordered the small bits from Tony yesterday afternoon and they arrived this morning. He charges 2nd class postage but I'm convinced he bags up the bits, jumps on his superbike and delivers them himself!

I've fitted a spare pair of my used CN's to the front (very low grip) and a pair of new T-Drifts to the rear (much higher grip) and I've ignored the kit oil in favour of my trusty Team Associated fluid but otherwise found the 3R shocks very good (as I have before when Eddie used to use them).

The front is fabricated from modified HPI lower arms, 3R steering hub and various Tamiya turnbuckles, balls and cups/rings. I'm keeping the pink wheel nuts for my comp chassis! I've also fitted the HUGE rear diffuser which may well come off again, depends on choice of shell and it's impact on handling! It could always be a place to mount the cell pack - apparently it's been done!

Remember, this is a budget project so no shiny carbon or masses of alloy. But it's colourful - all I need now is some green, orange, gold......

And I couldn't leave out one of my constant companion and assistant engineer, Li'l Lil! (fluff everywhere!) She and Taz (the other one) regularly do tandems on our laminate floor- very fast and close but sometimes end up buried in the wall!

Shilly

Jun 14 2013, 02:40 PM

I fitted the diffuser to my FS at Wycomb the other night, now I cant say whether it was that, or the multitude of suspension changes I made at the same time, but the rear end definately seemed a lot calmer. Plus with weight distribution and bias being the big thing talked about on all the RWD forums/threads, having somewhere to hang weight off that far from the COG might be beneficial. It's what I'll be playing with once I actually start building my FR-D

JT

Jun 14 2013, 02:43 PM

Yep, good point Shilly. I'll start a thread on the subject!

AndyB

Jun 14 2013, 02:50 PM

It's great that our builds will be so different, I'm not using two shocks on the front, and the diffuser will be staying on mine, also the tyre choice although similar will differ from yours.... The only difference with mine it, at the minute my build cost is still £55 all in (if electrics don't count)

JT

Jun 14 2013, 03:26 PM

I can't compete with that but then you did get yours privately! The bits so far have cost me around a tenner (rocker/rocker nut) as all the rest were from my bitz box. Wonder where all this will end up???? I'm keeping my options open re shocks/springs and with that floppy front I could go with no front shocks at all, just turnbuckles?

Daniel Robinson

Jun 14 2013, 03:35 PM

I'm still building my project , my old sprint 2 front motor that had a tcx chassis , and cyclone top decks/ shock towers and of course hubless!

JT

Jun 17 2013, 03:24 PM

I've weakened a little after looking through Dinballs shop this morning and bought a couple of essential items - a titanium idler shaft set to replace the 'orrible soft steel ones that have somehow already become bent (!?) and also the the front/rear pulleys, two 13t and one 23t which should negate the need to fit any belt tensioners or, more to the point, try to remove the kit pulleys off the old shafts!

As soon as I know the belts still fit okay, I'll also get a pair of better belts. I resisted buying an alloy spool unit and steel outdrives and alloy spur holder but I suspect it's just a matter of time as the kit ones do flex a little. Then it'll be the whole C/F / alloy parts........

No!I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one I must not spend money on this one

JT

Jun 20 2013, 09:06 PM

Well doing 100 lines didn't work - spending again today but paint this time. One thing I've been struggling to get my head around is the massive space in the graphite lower tub. With all the electrics fitted there's still LOADS of space!! It had me worried - what had I forgotten - then it dawned....... no motor! It's up front Probably an age thing.

JT

Jun 26 2013, 07:48 PM

Shell cut and sprayed and ready for the D1RC decal set - yes, it's pink (and blue) again. I'm running 8mm front and 10mm rear offset, all MST wheels so I've two sets of rims to try different tyres, including Vertex. As for constant tyre patch, so long as your tyres are evenly radiused, then the contact patch will stay the same as your caster rocks those babies anyway but a little wider if the radius is bigger, as in the TNs (back to school type geometry!).

I've had to fabricate quite a few special parts, mostly suspension and steering etc. I've not put active rear steering on yet and will try it out first, but I can see the advantage of running smaller rear toe until you pitch into a drift, then add a degree or so. May fit it Sunday.

The only thing I'm not so happy with at the mo is the battery tray - it seems it was designed to take only low profile packs so I'll just shave a few mm of one end!

So long as it holds together okay, it should get some extended testing in Sunday. Has anyone got a milling machine they can bring along - I'm sure I'll be designing new parts as we go!!!

JT

Jun 27 2013, 01:00 PM

Done!

You need a long shell to cover this chassis!

Geometry changed, the lock is fantastic! Centres fine too so no toe problems.

Rear end with anti-roll bar but awaiting passive steering

A very busy front end with floppy and multi top link suspension and lots of wires! No fast pit stops here

JT

Jun 27 2013, 06:45 PM

Posted these shots at 2pm, just after finishing the chassis and taking the photos. As I sat looking at them I was instantly not satisfied so I tore the front end apart again and changed the position of the floppy shock mounts on the shock tower (new holes, in and down), then the shock mount point on the lower wishbone, then further modified the two steering arms so that the end points were lower and could pass under the front bulkhead etc etc etc!!! Finished at 5pm, all back together again with full 90degrees lock without the tyres touching the shocks when using 20 degrees caster. It's still nearly a Sekura!!

JT

Jul 3 2013, 04:27 PM

So, first things first. She got her first run last Sunday at the Midsummer Madness indoor meet at Drift Essex. And how did she go???

Absolutely FANTASTICally bad.....

It should have been so easy, so perfectly set up but it wasn't! The back end seemed to stick initially, then spin up and spin around. I found myself pumping the throttle so that the rear could straighten a little but when it decided to swing out it did it in great style, doughnuts around the front inside wheel! I started on T-Drift rear and TN front and the front was fine so switched to the MST D1RC control tyre that has less grip than the T-Drift for the rear and that was instantly better but still a little 'sticky'. In desperation I put TNs on the rear and it just sat there, spinning merrily and going nowhere!

Andy was having the same sort of problems with his Sakura and despite lots of 'good' advice from onlookers who knew no more or less than us we failed to progress far. Luke, on the other hand, was doing much better and was kinda showing us the way - lots of practice and a gyro! I'll have to eat my words here. I said we didn't need gyros and that they'd simply stop us from learning the setup etc but I reckon I was wrong. We need a gyro just to help us get going, even badly, and then we can learn and tune while the gyro assists, then, maybe one day, the gyro will come off! So I've ordered one.

In the mean time, there was one thing Pete said when he tried to drive mine - he felt that my very strong front end was 'digging in' and spinning the car around. So, just in case he is right, I've backed off the caster to around 8 degrees. If only it was as easy as it sounds! With all the mods I've done the top suspension arm (the camber one, not the longer caster one) was now just 1mm away from the front shock body when the shocks had been moved down and inwards. When I back off the caster the suspension travels forwards and...bump! So the shocks have gone in favour of turnbuckles and a single shock now sits across the top of the floppy assembly. This in turn meant a bit of shell cutting so that the bonnet/hood could sit down around the shock. I need a bonnet bulge!

I've also fitted the Hei.Ko constant contact patch tyres that Andy bought me (now that's what you call a real mate!) on the front as the front, even with reduced caster, still rolls a little but now there's no tyre edge to bite the carpet so maybe that'll help. Looks cool anyway! What we now need is a hall for a day with a few cones to drive around and a bundle of tyres to try.....and that gyro!!

The latest mods

And that shock body hood! Full lock is now increased again to nearly 90 (more than in the photos!)

Still not tested the revisions but this morning my little £8 odd posted Eurgle gyro arrived after the first was returned faulty - these gyros don't get good press! However, this one went on in 5 mins and without any setup adjustment works like a charm. I ran the car around the conservatory and it drifted easier than a 4WD! The real test, of course, will be on the track but I've high hopes for the next Drift Essex indoor meet on Sunday 28 July (how the mighty fall ).

It may even see the tarmac at Eastbourne this weekend (D1RC Drift Series rnd 4) if I can find a suitable set of tyres. Watch this space.

dharvin

Jul 15 2013, 09:20 PM

More weight on the rear end seems to be key. After putting on a diffuser mainly for weight, control came back in SPADES!!!! Ive seen some iterations where the battery hangs off the back.

JT

Jul 15 2013, 09:32 PM

I've laid strips of velcro over the rear diffuser so that I can add/remove weights easily but it's still very much experimentation time at the mo. Even with the gyro it's still very snappy!

JT

Jul 27 2013, 09:38 AM

We're back on the carpet tomorrow with some free drift time to test the recent upgrades - alloy pulley set for smoother (and silent!) power delivery and remove all belt slack, active alloy adjustable rear toe, more steering mods to eliminate play, monoshock front floppy and new shock setup. I've also mounted all tyre types that I have and I'll be using the new gyro!!

I've also been researching a lot regarding setup from the Japanese drivers and making changing accordingly. Probably handle like s£*& but it's been fun trying and this is no short term project.

JT

Jul 29 2013, 02:03 PM

Well it all paid off - it's now on pace with other TN219y shod 4wd cars and almost as steady, being able to string lots of laps together without a spin if I concentrate. I think I found it a bit exhausting!! Watching the front steering suggests that a better quality gyro might help as it can 'shimmer' at times but it still works fine. Here's a few shots of the latest mods......

Front end, hubless and any camber/caster/track you fancy plus floppy monoshock suspension to avoid caster lift. Lock is much greater than in the photo but the free turning hub straightens on a flat surface (caster), those chopped ends still need cleaning up and that massive Philips power cap Shilly is of far better quality than those 'RC branded' ones and just £1 for 10 on e-bay electronics! Buy a bag and share? I've been using them since 2005 and abuse them rotten

Back end, new active/infinitely adjustable rear toe using the unused front wishbone and c-hub plus a new steering knuckle and lots of velcro'd weights

JT's covering! You need something long to cover both the front motor and the rear diffuser

Next? I'm not sure. Fine tuning, a better gyro, maybe a lower deck and shock towers but if it goes that way it's no longer on such a tight budget! That said, it's still a fraction of the price Andy just paid for his 2nd hand FS-01 so Wendy can't complain!!!

evo-dude

Jul 29 2013, 03:26 PM

You have a link to the power caps John?

JT

Jul 29 2013, 03:53 PM

Hi Paps, how's it going? You MUST come down and join us for a day, hall or outdoors.

The 'caps' vary from week to week, I bought the Philips 16v 3300uf type, 10 for £1 but the nearest on e-bay electronics at the mo is 16v 2200uf, 2 for 99p! here You can always twin them for 4400uf but even one would be much bigger capacity than the RC marketed items.

evo-dude

Jul 30 2013, 01:04 PM

QUOTE (JT @ Jul 29 2013, 04:53 PM)

Hi Paps, how's it going? You MUST come down and join us for a day, hall or outdoors.

The 'caps' vary from week to week, I bought the Philips 16v 3300uf type, 10 for £1 but the nearest on e-bay electronics at the mo is 16v 2200uf, 2 for 99p! here You can always twin them for 4400uf but even one would be much bigger capacity than the RC marketed items.

Yeah not bad thanks JT. Yourself? Been thinking about coming back and I might dust off the vdf and come for a play soon. Is everyone runnin cs now?

Just purchased a panasonic 3300uf cap, hopefull there will be space for it on the vdf somewhere. Is the long wire on the cap the positive or negative? I can never remember haha

danb1974

Jul 31 2013, 03:54 AM

Long wire is positive. To confirm, negative is marked with a vertical stripe on the cap body.

A miswired cap acts like a short, better pay attention when installing.

Ans yes much cheaper to just buy a quality cap from an electronics store and wire it yourself. RC "glitch busters" (cap + wires + nice shiny label) are sold for as much as 10 bucks a piece...

BigJames

Jul 31 2013, 09:22 AM

I'd highly suggest trying some of the better quality "RC branded" capactitors, I used to use high quality amp caps but the ones we run now are completely different league - in fact they are from a different world!

JT

Jul 31 2013, 10:41 AM

Sorry James, I have to disagree. Anything like that that ends up with a RC brand name will not have been developed just for the RC trade. I've NEVER been short of smooth, consistent power.

danb1974

Aug 2 2013, 08:18 PM

Want brand? Just go to an electronics store and buy brand caps (like Panasonic), look for one with low esr and high ripple current. No need to pay 5-10 times the price for the rc sticker glued over that cap. I bet none of them was specifically developed for rc.

Anyway in drifting we use very fast servos that can draw peak currents that exceed by far what any integrated bec can deliver (my budget bluebird servo is rated at 7Amps peak and my 3A cont/5A peak external bec is clearly not enough, rx powered lights dim when I turn the wheel fast). Therefore a pretty big external bec is required in order not to slow down the servo. And yes I have 2x2200uF caps but they cannot sustain alone the servo.

JT

Aug 22 2013, 12:33 PM

Back on topic, the car now has a HPI D-Box compliments of my sponsor and it looks to be a better option than the cheap gyros that appear to do the job okay, until you try one of these!

The HPI D-Box aka drift assist aka stability system is very small and compact. It mounts on it's bottom or top edge, depending on your cars servo mount orientation (clockwise left or clockwise right mounting) and your resulting transmitter settings (steering reversed or not). I've heard some say gyros are better mounted on the tail of your car as there's more sideways acceleration there (bigger arc) but I find I prefer it about 2/3rds rear between the axle lines, but the choice is yours. Keeping it in the top deck isn't necessary but it's easier to adjust there.

There is just one adjustment as the normal 'setup' screw pot is replaced by a startup software routine in the tiny box, making this one a simple plug and play installation. You still have a small adjustable gain 'pot' that allows you to tune the degree of 'assist' the system gives, from 10 to 100%. The assist is essentially where the box steers the car into a slide by providing opposite lock, so catching the back end before you've lost it. The amount of opposite lock is determined by the rate of acceleration of the drift turning motion and the % gain selected. As you reduce the gain, so the more absolute control is returned to the driver but the less help is given. When you are learning the ropes, try 100%! The assist, by the way, operates for 100% of the time the car is turned on so it will even help the car to drive straight on those longer straight sections that take you to the start line, so fewer embarrassing slow spins!

So, is the HPI worth the extra? The budget gyro I started of with was cheaper but the first example delivered didn't work at all. The replacement did work but needed to be setup, and not just the once! The controller steering sub-trim was a place I got to know very well! Many of the budget units also seem to be easily over excited! It's not something you seem able to tune out with their gain controls either, as they seem to be constantly correcting the steering angle whilst driving in a rather jerky way. It worked but looked very untidy on the track and the noise from your servo can be a little worrying too.

By contrast the D-Box is silent, responsive and smooth. On start up it's led blinks to tell you it's completing the setup stage which takes a second or two, after which the led goes constant and the steering may be operated. As you swivel the chassis in your hand the opposite lock is applied smoothly and solidly with no 'flickering' of the servo.

I've not yet been able to find any information regarding the programming algorithms to describe how the box actually applies steering adjustments to incorporate both the gyro's input together with the driver's input. For example, as you initiate a drift the box starts to add countersteer but you too will be doing so via the steering yet the box somehow combines both inputs rather than ignoring one of them or simply adding both additionally - yet you are very much still in control and can steer the car through varying radius curves and transitions just as you would with a much easier to drive 4WD chassis.

So, having tried both budget and quality drift gyros, what would I recommend? I've been completely won over by the HPI D-Box. It's been around since the mid/late noughties and shunned by the drift fraternity, and correctly so as it had no place in a 4WD chassis, but we're now attempting to achieve what has, since the dawn of RC drifting, been the 'Impossible Dream' of 2WD drifting, and the gyro has now found a place. So it's been well tried and tested and shows none of the issues found in some budget units. It's simple to install, simple to adjust and makes 2WD drifting...well, not simple but with practice, very possible!

If you are just dabbling with the idea of trying 2WD drifting on the cheap then a cheap gyro for around £20 may seem a good idea. However, 2WD drifting is addictive so, take my advice, save yourself that £20 and go for the real thing from the outset and see the rewards on the track!

Next, back to rear wheel tyre testing. We know that on new, clean Prima GT carpet both the T-Drift and TN 219 control tyres work well enough but which is best? Ballast and balance too needs more testing, and you'd expect that to affect tyre choice too. It is, of course, a bit of a black art!

JT

Oct 3 2013, 03:30 PM

Just a quick update after the D1RC indoor Winter Warmer day last weekend.

Eureka!! Apart for a few more upgrades, mainly the rear spool, I've made some more changes. I got to thinking about why we are favouring front mounter motors and then piling weight on the rear it didn't make any sense! But then......it does!!

In a race car we try to put all the weight on the centre line, front/rear, left/right and as close to it as possible. This is to reduce the forces of rotational mass when we try to turn into a corner so as to allow the car to turn in more quickly.

With our 2WD drift cars, out problem is that the chassis turns in even when we don't want it too - it's far to unstable, which is why we need the help of a good gyro. However, by placing all the weighty objects as far away from the centre as possible, which is what we are doing, we are slowing down the cars ability to turn. This pendulum affect makes the inherently unstable car more stable and so easier to drive well.

The affect was amazing and on Sunday I was able to run lap after lap with very few spins, with more precise placement and more speed, allowing me to run with the best of the 4WD cars on T-Drift rears and nearly as fast on 219y's. Twinning with Lee's (new to D1RC) FS-01 based 2WD on T-Drifts was a real treat. Cant wait for the series to start!

JT

Oct 23 2013, 03:06 PM

Round 1 on 20 October went very well for me, thank you very much A 2nd place in the main 4WD class was promptly followed by another 2nd in the 2WD class. Lee Mennie and I ran a 5 battle final, so 10 runs and I only spun in two of them, one under pressure, the other was one of those senior moments! The rest of the runs went great, around the same speed as the 4WD cars on T-Drifts (rear) and very steady. In fact, in qualifying my 2WD scores would have put me 11th in a field of 17 4WD and Lee's would have given him 8th! We're getting much better.

The problem is still switching from 4WD to RWD and back between each of the practice, quali and finals sessions but we allow a very short practice for the 2WD drivers just before they compete and this goes some way to helping. Switching from 2WD to 4WD is a little easier! It seems the 2WD class is about to grow for rnd 2 - let's hope so. Better get some more practice in

JT

Nov 2 2013, 02:04 PM

I've been spending most of the week and probably most of next week too designing and building a new 2WD chassis, ready for rnd 2. I don't want to let too much out of the bag but this one is 100% pure HPI! How would I describe it? Radical!

Daniel Robinson

Nov 2 2013, 02:37 PM

As have I jt, however mine is a radical yokomo, its based on a 1996 kit, so very few will recongnise this rwd beast

JT

Nov 2 2013, 03:47 PM

I think Andy might??? He posted one on Facebook which I'm sure he claimed was his new one. Just remember, it's all about weight placement (and a great gyro!!)

AndyB

Nov 2 2013, 07:16 PM

I'm soon to remove my gyro, set on 20% now, I'm also not 100% convinced you need mounds of weight, after tuning for a day, I now see, suspension settings are far more important than weight

JT

Nov 5 2013, 01:35 PM

And this from the man who started his 2WD project when I did last summer - still haven't seen it turn a wheel! Andy, completely disagree!

Weight and weight distribution is just as important as any other tuning factor, and there are dozens! Also, absolute weight and placement of weight are two different things. Where the weight is will determine the balance and thus the handling (as will all the usual things of course) and what the absolute weight on each corner is impacts the friction (grip). One needs to look at the big picture when dealing with setup/handling and stop keep grabbing at individual aspects of setup and raving about them for a week

My gain was down too last round. It can actually inhibit the drift (just as on 4WD with gyro, if you can remember that far back when we tested them drifting in 2006) so if and when you get your 2WD chassis well sorted it helps to wind it off, or as the day goes on. However, I recommend you start with 100%.

The new and very unique beast was finished about 30 mins ago! Just need to fit a shell now and it's ready to take on the best! (that's fighting talk given it's not turned a wheel in anger yet, but I have the other one as fallback!)

JT

Nov 10 2013, 07:24 PM

The new 2WD Pro4 based ran really sweet today but when I tried the Sakura it was just fantastic. All I've done is change the front tyres but you'd have though I'd fitted a front belt and transmission - it was unbelievable! My qualifying score of 83, 82 was just 2pts below my 3rd place 4WD quali score and would have placed my 5th in 4WD! It gave me first in 2WD quali, some 6pts clear of 2nd. It just gets better and better. Sorry, but yes, I'm chuffed and just loving it!

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